Company learns the hard way – NEVER pay cash to have your waste removed
A waste company which paid another company to take away waste from their own vehicle when it broke down has been prosecuted in court after the waste was found dumped by the roadside in Buckinghamshire.
Complete Waste Management Ltd, based in Essex, pleaded guilty to the offence of failing in their duty of care when transferring waste to a waste remover, when the case was heard at High Wycombe Magistrates’ Court on 27 November 2024.
The court heard that on 14 September 2023, a mixture of household and building waste was found dumped at Ibstone Road in Stokenchurch. Buckinghamshire Council’s waste enforcement team carries out regular searches of the area, due to it being heavily blighted with fly-tipping. On this occasion, an enforcement officer found details amongst the waste belonging to an address in Fairlight Road, London.
Enquiries identified a company called Complete Waste Management Ltd who explained that they recognised the waste, and they had removed the waste from the property in London. Complete Waste Management Ltd explained that when they removed the waste initially, their vehicle broke down and was unable to move. In order for the recovery vehicle to take their van away, the waste on the back needed to be removed.
Complete Waste Management Ltd found a company to remove the waste from their van and arranged for its removal, explaining that this was the last they heard of it. Complete Waste Management Ltd said they paid £150 cash but did not do the appropriate checks and so when the waste was later found dumped illegally, they admitted liability.
Magistrates at High Wycombe Magistrates’ Court fined Complete Waste Management Ltd £600 and ordered them to pay a contribution of £1546.71 towards the council’s clean up and investigation costs. A victim surcharge was also added of £240 - making a total to pay of £2,386.71.
Thomas Broom, Buckinghamshire Council’s Cabinet Member for Climate Change and Environment said: “Buckinghamshire Council has a firm position on fly-tipping - it is against the law, unacceptable, and a ‘zero tolerance’ approach will be taken against offenders.
“This offence was traced through evidence found amongst the waste which led back to a company that had not done the correct checks on the waste remover. Wherever possible, we will always seek to prosecute offences of fly-tipping even if it is for the producer of the waste rather than the person who dumped it. We would strongly advise anyone having waste removed to not pay by cash under any circumstances; this is a sure-fire ‘red flag’ as is not traceable and if your waste is then dumped and the evidence leads us back to the producer, you will be investigated and held accountable.”
If you have evidence showing an offence taking place and you are willing to provide a witness statement, please contact the council’s enforcement team via email: [email protected]
To report fly-tipping anywhere in Buckinghamshire visit: www.buckinghamshire.gov.uk/fix-my-street